Orijen: Nourish As Nature Intended

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Origins Of Orijen

Orijen is manufactured by Champion Petfoods, which was founded in 1985 in Alberta, Canada. Champion Petfoods was founded by Reinhard Muhlenfeld, an entrepreneur born in Berlin, Germany. They are also the parent company of Acana, another top rated dog food manufacturer that focuses on biologically appropriate, protein-rich diets for our furry friends.

With the name of Champion Petfoods behind it, Orijen follows in its parent company’s footsteps creating Biologically Appropriate pet food sourced from Fresh Regional Ingredients through a process that is Never Outsourced. This is their “BAFRINO” promise. They are the most awarded pet food maker in the world, consistently gaining recognition for their pet food recipes and innovation.

About Orijen

Orijen’s mission is their BAFRINO promise:

Biologically Appropriate
Fresh Regional Ingredients
Never Outsourced

Biologically Appropriate:

Orijen believes that dogs are built after their ancestors, so they should eat like their ancestors too. Orijen’s biologically appropriate food “mirrors the quantity, freshness, and variety of meats” that dogs have evolved to eat. Since fresh, protein-rich diets allow for optimal nutrient consumption, Orijen recipes are 80-85% meat and 15-20% produce.

Fresh Regional Ingredients:

Although they are headquartered in Alberta, Canada, Orijen’s DogStar Kitchens reside in a deeply agricultural part of Kentucky surrounded by fertile farmlands, sloping grasslands, and Appalachian ranches. There they have access to the freshest, regional ingredients delivered straight to their DogStar Kitchens. Orijen claims that “all of our fresh meats are deemed fit for human consumption and typically travel from farm to our kitchen within 3 days.”

Never Outsourced:

Orijen is passionate about pet food being one of the most important decisions a pet owner can make. They supervise and manage everything from food development and sourcing of ingredients to food preparation and quality control to ensure their customers have the highest-quality pet food they can offer.

Orijen Products

Orijen pet foods are crafted with fresh and wild ingredients that provide natural sources of the nutrients your canine friend needs. They even provide optimal ratios of fresh meats, organs, and cartilage with fish and eggs to enhance the variety of nutrients your dog consumes.

Orijen offers products for dogs at all life stages, from puppy, to adult, to senior. They also offer a few products by breed size and special diets (e.g. red meat only, fish only, etc.).

Their formulas include:

All Orijen recipes are 85% meat and 15% vegetables and fruits, with the exception of their Tundra formula, which contains 80% meat and 20% produce. Meat can range from wild-caught trout and duck to nest-laid eggs and bison depending on the recipe. The fruits and vegetables are low in glycemic value, which maintains digestive health and provides good carbohydrates to your canine companion. The antioxidants and vitamins in the fruits and vegetables support your dog’s immune system too.

With two-thirds of their meats fresh or raw which is flash-frozen and preservative-free, they offer an unparalleled top quality dog food.

Orijen also offers a variety of freeze-dried dog food and freeze-dried dog treats, including:

Reviews Of Orijen

Containing approximately 42% protein, 20% fat, and 30% carbohydrates, the Orijen adult dog dry food formula’s nutrient contents all fall within the minimum requirements for a dog’s daily suggested dietary intake. Per their claims, they use real meat, but they also use ingredients like chicken meal, a meat concentrate, to pack protein into their formulas. As promised, Orijen does not use artificial colors or flavors in their ingredients. They do add probiotics to their dog food, and the protein content of their recipes is much higher than most dog foods on the market.

A huge complaint about Orijen dog food formulas is the expense. A 15-pound bag of Orijen Adult dog food will run about $70. You could buy local dog food with natural, high-quality ingredients for less than Orijen. If you’re set on Orijen, you might want to shop around for the best prices.

If you’re just trying Orijen, reviewers suggest starting with a small bag to see if your dog actually likes it. It’s easy to spend upwards of $100 on their larger 28-pound bags, so don’t get stuck with a pricey bag of dry dog food that your dog won’t eat.

Check Out This Dog Food Finder!

Other complaints for Orijen’s dog food line include issues with diarrhea, extremely fishy odors, and they do not offer limited ingredient options. Although Orijen claims their food is grain-free, some customers with food sensitive canines have had difficulty switching their dogs to Orijen. Unfortunately, this brand is probably not a great option for doggies with food sensitivities. Their sister company, Acana, however, does produce limited ingredient diet formulas, which they call ACANA Singles.

Orijen lovers, on the other hand, laud the brand for their dogs’ visibly healthier coats and skin. Others say it is the only brand their picky pups will even touch. Reviewers comment on reduced flatulence and firmer poos, both of which any pet owner can appreciate.

Given the overwhelming positive reviews for Orijen, I’m tempted to try it for my dog. She has allergy-related asthma, and I noticed her symptoms worsened after I switched her to a new dry food brand. She also has occasional tummy problems that a top rated dog food with natural, whole foods like Orijen might resolve. Although the price is steep, just imaging the money it could save me in veterinary bills in the long run makes me want to test it out. Plus feeding her premium dog food sounds way better and easier than the pet food and pumpkin mix I whip up for her at every meal.